Chapter 29: Champ Tiger Creed (3)

“I got all dirty…”

“Meow, are you mad at me?”

Among all the original characters I’ve met so far, the smallest hand gently strokes the top of my head.

Normally, I would have closed my eyes and enjoyed it, but this time, I couldn’t.

A bratty little elf who doesn’t act her age drooled all over my head!

Because of that, my fur is completely soaked with drool.

“Meow.”

…But frustratingly, I can’t lose my temper here.

Right now, I need to use Professor Ruyen as a shield to keep an eye on what Kazein is up to.

I alternated my gaze between Kazein, who was looking at me with an awkward expression, and the nameless half-elf, then pushed Ruyen’s cheek away with my paw.

“Aww, give me some snuggles~”

“Haahk-!”

Scratch!

Not only did she drench me in drool, but now she’s trying to use me as a pillow!

Have you ever seen such a shameless brat?

“Kids, the kitty’s mad at me!”

“Professor, isn’t it natural for her to be mad after you drenched her in drool and then tried to hug her tightly?”

“Hiiing…”

Ruyen, acting like a child, pouted and loosened her grip.

Finally free, I sat on the desk and shook myself off.

“So cute~”

Who would think that’s a 500-year-old woman?

It’s like she’s got magical dementia and thinks she’s a little kid.

“Kids, should we keep her?”

At Professor Ruyen’s sudden suggestion, Kazein stared straight at me.

She seems to be seriously considering it.

Given how openly Kazein loves cats, it’s no surprise she’s tempted by the professor’s offer.

She probably thinks it’s better to play with me here than to go to the garden to feed and play with me every time.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just let her go? It’s not right to keep her here when she was living just fine.”

Well, at least there’s one dissenting vote.

I glanced at the half-elf who raised her hand and voiced her opposition.

It didn’t seem like she was doing it for my sake, but more out of laziness.

“And there are a lot of dangerous things here. If the cat accidentally touches something, it’ll be a disaster.”

“That little one is really smart. If we train her well, she won’t do that.”

“Eh, no matter how smart she is, she’s still just a cat.”

That’s kind of annoying.

Should I scratch her?

While I was debating whether to unsheathe my claws, Professor Ruyen seemed to have made up her mind and spoke up.

“I’ll train her well!”

How unreliable must she be for that nameless half-elf to sigh like that?

Well, in the original story, she was pretty unreliable, wasn’t she?

All her related quests ended up being “Play with me, I’m bored.”

If you played as Alice, you’d be running around doing errands for Professor Ruyen…

Later on, I just did the essential quests and ignored her.

After all, Alice needs to be raised strong!

The strongest assassin, that is!

“I don’t think the cat would want that.”

・…That’s unexpected.

I looked up at Kazein, who had voiced her opposition.

She was staring at Professor Ruyen with the most serious expression I’d ever seen.

“Is that so?”

The golden-haired brat tilted her head and looked at me.

Her green eyes seemed to ask if that was really true, but unfortunately, now was the time to act like a capricious cat.

I settled on Professor Ruyen’s lap and opened my mouth.

“Meow.”

“Meow likes me!”

“I-I’ve never even been allowed to sit on her lap…”

Why are you so defeated?

Is it really that big of a deal?

“Senior, she’s an elf. It’s possible.”

“Hehe.”

I’ve never seen someone actually do that pose in real life.

I peeked out to see Kazein lying on the floor, not even trying to get up, and then started licking my paw.

I’m a house cat, a house cat, a house cat…

For the infiltration mission to succeed, I need to disguise myself as a house cat, so from now on, I am a house cat.

…But what’s the difference between a house cat and a stray tiger, other than one lives indoors and the other outdoors?

They both get fed by humans and petted, right?

I had to stop all thoughts as a sudden wave of existential crisis hit me.

“Meow, should I give you a name?”

“So it’s decided that we’re keeping her…”

“If we’re keeping her, she’ll need a name…”

Kazein, still sounding defeated, chimed in as Ruyen hummed and started listing off names.

“How about Pretty?”

“What era is that naming sense from?”

Kazein, you’re quite sharp.

“Hiiing… Then how about Theophilatus! Shortened to Theo!”

“Naming a cat after the Emperor’s name is blasphemy.”

“What about Yumi?”

That’s crossing a line.

How dare you try to give me such a name?

I raised my paw and tapped Ruyen’s knee to express my displeasure. Ruyen, understanding, suggested another name.

“Then how about Reni?”

“That’s not bad, considering it’s from the professor.”

“Marina! Kazein, you’re being mean!”

Kazein, who didn’t hesitate to roast the professor, had already approached the desk and leaned in close to me.

“Reni, let’s get along well from now on, okay?”

“…Meow.”

10 minutes into my undercover mission.

I’ve been given a name that makes me feel like I’ve been kidnapped to an island.

————

What’s the difference between a stray tiger and a house cat?

Simply put, it’s the difference between living indoors or outdoors, and having a dedicated can opener who regularly feeds and cares for you.

Other than that, there’s not much difference.

But being indoors is suffocating.

I want to run outside and breathe fresh air, but I’m here on an important mission.

I can’t let my emotions ruin everything.

I’m going to leave after this anyway.

I just have to endure until then.

So let’s get to work.

I felt the brush Professor Ruyen had pulled out from somewhere run through my fur as I surveyed the office.

The office, about 20 square meters, had a faint scent of acacia. On one side, there were shelves filled with various artifacts, and on the other, everyday items.

It doesn’t look much different from the game.

“Reni, want to try this?”

Are you serious?

Who tries to feed chocolate to a cat?

“Professor, chocolate is poisonous to cats.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Ruyen, looking disappointed, popped the chocolate into her own mouth.

It’s obvious she just wanted to eat it herself.

I’ll just ignore her and focus on the mission.

I jumped off Professor Ruyen’s lap and onto Kazein’s desk.

Kazein, delighted that I had climbed onto her desk, reached out and stroked my back.

“Did you miss me?”

Let’s see.

I pretended to be affectionate while reading the papers on Kazein’s desk.

[Research on Artificial Evolution into Spirit Beasts]

Artificial evolution?

Wait, spirit beasts can evolve?

Like Pokémon or Digimon?

So the monsters from the latter half of Act 1 were the result of failed attempts at artificial evolution, leading to dark evolution?

Information that wasn’t in the game, or maybe I just never looked for it, started filling my mind.

“Oh, are you interested in my research?”

As I let her fingers scratch my chin, I fell into thought.

This research was funded, right?

Could I find out who the sponsor was?

It’s probably that shadowy organization I know, but I’d still like to know who their contacts are.

I might learn something that wasn’t in the game.

I’d also like to rummage through that tightly sealed lab.

So hurry up and open the lab door, you can opener.

“It’s research to help little ones like you live longer.”

Research to live longer, huh.

Spirit beasts have much longer lifespans than ordinary creatures, so are they trying to extend animal lifespans using that?

It’s a decent idea, but can spirit beasts even be created artificially?

It seems pretty unlikely.

“Once the research is complete, you could become a spirit beast too.”

I looked up into her eyes.

Her words were ominous, and her eyes, usually clear, now held a turbid madness.

Now that I think about it, she always had a mad scientist vibe.

…Should I cancel Can Opener #1?

I barely managed to suppress the urge to bristle and tilted my head as if I didn’t understand, then started licking my paw.

“…If you become a spirit beast, will you be able to talk?”

I can already talk.

But if I do, my life as a cat is over.

I vowed never to speak in front of this mad scientist.

“Professor, I’ll head into the lab now.”

“Okay~ Work hard~”

I wonder what’s in the lab.

“Reni, I’ll be back soon.”

Kazein got up and headed toward the lab door.

I carefully jumped down and clung to Kazein’s leg.

“Meow~”

“You can’t come into the lab.”

“Me…”

I flattened my ears and widened my eyes.

I looked up at Kazein with that expression.

The ultimate charm attack!

This should soften anyone’s heart.

“No. Stay and play with Professor Ruyen.”

Damn.

She resisted my charm.

But I’m not one to give up so easily.

Ignoring Kazein’s protests, I clung to her leg and made my demands.

Take me with you!

If you don’t, you’re not going either!

“Why not just take her? She’s well-behaved, right? She’ll just sit quietly in a corner.”

“But still…”

“It’s fine. As long as she doesn’t touch the stored samples, it’ll be okay.”

“…I guess there’s no choice.”

Kazein, unable to resist her junior’s support, nodded.

You’re pretty sharp, huh?

I’ll charm you later as a thank you.

Having stacked up a favor, I clung to Kazein’s leg as we entered the lab.

And then—

That’s the last thing I remember.